Monday, June 8, 2009

Schwarzenegger: Stop Blaming Illegal Immigrants


Looking that cute with his daughter, are we totally sure he's not gay?


I'm kind of harsh on the Governator sometimes because, well, he and the rest of the California Republicans are the only thing standing in the way of real universal healthcare in the state and some measure of fair taxation, but I'm glad to see him say this:


SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday disputed claims that illegal immigrants caused California's $24.3 billion deficit, while he praised their economic contributions and said he is "happy" they have access to services.

The Republican governor, answering wide-ranging questions from The Bee's editorial board and its readers, also vented about roadblocks to his authority posed by political foes and warned that government can't sustain the current level of "unbelievable benefits" for public-sector workers.

In response to dozens of questions from readers who say the state ought to wipe out the deficit by eliminating services for illegal immigrants, the governor said it is a "myth" that those immigrants are to blame.

...

"Yes, it is something that ought to be dealt with, but the fact of the matter is, I think it's an easy scapegoat for people to point the finger and say, 'Our budget is out of whack because of illegal immigrants.' "


It's probably true that his primary motivation here isn't respect for immigrants but economic pressures by those who hire them -- but that, too, proves his point in itself. Their economic contribution is vast, and blaming them doesn't make sense.

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